Solis (CA32) : 2007 Press Release : Congresswoman Solis Accepts Nomination to Lead the Labor Department

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Press Releases and Statements


	For Immediate Release December 19, 2008	Contact: Sonia Melendez (202) 225-5464; (202) 225-4573

	Congresswoman Solis Accepts Nomination to Lead the Labor Department

	Chicago, Ill. - Today, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) made the following statement today after President-elect Obama formally nominated her to serve as the next Secretary of the United States Department of Labor: “I am humbled and honored to be nominated by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as Secretary of Labor. “As a daughter of immigrants raised in La Puente, a community near East Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley, I learned from a young age the value of hard work, public service, and commitment to family. “That is why I share President-elect Obama's belief in an America where if you work hard anything is possible. “An America that values and rewards hard work. An America where we can both be standing on this stage today. But for too many Americans, that America is slipping further and further away. “As Secretary of Labor, I will work to strengthen our unions and support every American in our nation's diverse workforce. “I look forward to working with President-elect Obama to reinvest in workforce training, build effective pipelines to provide at-risk youth and underserved communities with sustainable skills, and support high-growth industries by training the workers they need. “This includes promoting green collar jobs. “These are jobs that will provide economic security for working families while securing our energy supply and combating climate change. “We also must enforce federal labor laws and strengthen regulations to protect our nation's workers, such as wage and hour laws, and rules regarding overtime pay and pay discrimination. “Through these and other efforts we can help strengthen one of America's greatest assets - its labor force. “I want to take this opportunity to thank my family, especially my parents, Raul and Juana Solis, my husband, and my sisters and brothers for all of their support over the years. “They have always believed in me, and have been my source of strength and teachers of the commitment to justice, equality and public service. “To my extended family, those I have worked alongside with both in California and Washington, thank you for your commitment to public service and justice, and your loyalty. “Quisiera tomar esta oportunidad para agradecerle al Presidente-electo Barack Obama por haberme nominado como Secretaria de del Departamento del Trabajo de los Estados Unidos. “Como hija de inmigrantes, estoy muy honrada por esta oportunidad. También quisiera agradecerle a mi esposo, a mis padres, Raúl y Juana Solís y a mi familia, por todo su apoyo. “I thank President-elect Obama and I look forward to serving as a member of his team.” Biography Congresswoman Hilda Solis, Nominee for Secretary of Labor First elected in 2000, Congresswoman Hilda Solis is serving her fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 32nd Congressional District of California. Prior to her election to Congress, Solis served eight years in the California state legislature. As a California State Senator, she led the battle to increase the state's minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.75 an hour in 1996. In August 2000, Solis became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her pioneering work on environmental justice issues in California. In 2003, she became the first Latina appointed to the Committee on Energy and Commerce where she is the Vice Chair of the Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee and a member of the Health and Telecommunications Subcommittees. She is also a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources. In March 2007, Solis was named a member of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. She is the Vice Chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and serves as a Senior Whip, as well as a Regional Whip for Southern California. She is also serving her third term as the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' Task Force on Health and the Environment. Solis is a lifetime resident of the San Gabriel Valley and currently resides in the city of El Monte with her husband Sam, a small business owner. ### File name for image appearing on the home page latest news section must be solis_news.jpg Upload image using the WIDA editor's upload file option

[an error occurred while processing this directive][an error occurred while processing this directive]